Shaun Murphy has grow to be the newest participant to talk out on the controversies involving the WST and the WPBSA’s dealing with of Zhao Xintong.
The latter captured a maiden World Snooker Championship title on Monday with an 18-12 overcome Mark Williams on the Crucible Theatre.
It accomplished a outstanding month for the 28 year-old in Sheffield, who started the competitors within the very first spherical of qualifying.
Zhao gained 4 matches within the preliminary part on the English Institute of Sport earlier than storming his approach by every spherical on the venue levels – profitable 9 matches in whole.
A primary world snooker champion from China, he has grow to be the sport’s greatest rising star.
His attacking type of play and a boyish allure have endeared him to many, and authorities will hope to capitalise on these attributes by seizing the chance to advertise his profile on a worldwide stage.
However Zhao’s fast rise again to the highest of the sport following the conclusion of his ban has not been with out controversy.
The World Skilled Billiards and Snooker Affiliation plus the World Snooker Tour have are available in for severe criticism, significantly from different skilled gamers on the circuit.
On the forefront of the dialogue is whether or not or not Zhao ought to have been allowed to compete through the 2024/25 marketing campaign in any respect.
The previous world quantity six’s WPBSA ban resulted in September final 12 months however he’s nonetheless technically banned by his nationwide governing physique till July this 12 months.
The conventional stance is {that a} participant who isn’t in good standing with their nationwide federation can’t take part in WPBSA tournaments.
If that stipulation had been adopted as traditional, Zhao wouldn’t have been capable of enter the beginner Q Tour circuit, which is finally how he obtained an invite to take part within the 2025 World Snooker Championship.
“This level was made to anybody in World Snooker and the WPBSA who would pay attention on the time,” Shaun Murphy mentioned on the OneFourSeven Snooker Podcast.
“Asking the query, how can a participant who continues to be banned by their very own governing physique be seen and be deemed to be in good standing?”
“And due to this fact be allowed to enter WPBSA occasions equivalent to Q Tour – that was a query that was requested about ten months in the past earlier than the beginning of the season that’s simply ended.
“It appeared pretty black and white to most of us that he wasn’t in good standing along with his nationwide governing physique.
“There are many different gamers that this has and does and can apply to. You’ll be able to’t simply go round becoming a member of federations and tournaments as you see match.
“You must be in good standing. The query all of us requested was, how can a participant who continues to be banned be deemed to be in good standing?
“I’m but to listen to a passable reply from anybody at WPBSA Towers or the tour, so I don’t know the reply.
“It struck me as odd. I believe a variety of gamers have the identical view. It was one thing that was mentioned at size by the Gamers’ Board along side the WPBSA.
“We have been advised that, regardless of him being nonetheless banned by his NGB in China, that WPBSA thought-about him to be in good standing. That was the reply.
“We mentioned, ‘cling on a minute, he’s nonetheless banned however you’re not recognising that?’
“The argument I’ve seen rather a lot is that he’s been away from the sport – he didn’t take a niche 12 months, he didn’t go on a sabbatical to go and feed refugees someplace.
“There was an enforced suspension, as a result of he’d finished one thing unsuitable. He’s finished the crime, he did his time, and due to this fact ought to be allowed again.
“However that’s the place it will get a bit sticky, as a result of there’s an argument being made that he didn’t do his time.
“That’s a giant downside for lots of people that raised it on the time, and it’s nonetheless being raised at the moment.
“There’s lots of people of the view that, truly, had he have served his full ban and are available again to the game when he was in good standing along with his NGB, as per the WPBSA guidelines by the way in which, nobody would have a phrase to say about it.
“It’s a wierd one. Jason Ferguson was on telly over the weekend saying that it’s unprecedented and this and that – that we’ve by no means seen it earlier than.
“Then in one other interview, [he was] saying there are guidelines in place for this sort of factor, and it’s occurred earlier than, and the principles are effectively established.
“Which one is it? We don’t know.”
Second on the record of grievances is the state of affairs involving Zhao’s rating, with the brand new Crucible king instantly rejoining the highest 16 in eleventh on the again of his £500,000 champion’s cheque.
Novice gamers are allowed to maintain prize cash and may safe their skilled standing for the upcoming marketing campaign by performances as top-ups.
However the wording within the gamers’ entry pack appeared to obviously state that these earnings couldn’t then translate into rating factors, and Zhao ought to in truth be beginning the 2025/26 time period on zero.
“It’s a really small nuance within the system, which has by no means been exploited or seen earlier than, and there are just a few various things at play right here,” Shaun Murphy continued.
“As a result of he’s gained the World Championship, he will probably be seeded quantity two for each event subsequent season.”
“That occurred to me and it’s occurred to some others who weren’t ranked that extremely, however due to the good thing about profitable the World Championship, you’re seeded two for every part.
“So whether or not he begins on zero factors or 500,000 factors, he’s going to get the rewards of being the quantity two seed. He’s going to be in every part.
“[But] the principles of the tour and the entry pack for the tour are as follows the place that is involved.
“These are the phrases: ‘An beginner participant can qualify for the highest 64. Nevertheless, their rating factors will at all times reset to zero initially of every season.’
“These are the phrases within the phrases of entry in our gamers’ contract that all of us signal, that everybody indicators as much as yearly, [and] that’s simply been very publicly renegotiated.
“WST have determined to completely change the principles. They’ve come out with an announcement saying they agree that it may have been worded higher, however what we meant was this.
“One thing alongside these traces – ‘what we must always have mentioned was this, or what we meant was X’. The gamers are in uproar about it frankly.
“This truly has nothing to do with Zhao Xintong. He simply occurs to be the participant that this has occurred to.
“However the guidelines are clear. An beginner participant is invited in to play as a top-up, in the event that they earn sufficient factors, they’ll qualify and earn their proper to be a professional into the highest 64.
“That’s at all times been the case, that isn’t new. I believe he’s the primary to do it, however that’s not a brand new factor.
“What’s a brand new factor is WST’s resolution – a staggering resolution, a jaw-dropping resolution – to completely ignore the wording of their very own contract.
“It’s black and white, it’s what we’ve all agreed to, and it isn’t as issues stand how World Snooker Tour are continuing.
“And simply to make this totally clear, that is nothing to do with Xintong. No one has acquired an issue with Zhao Xintong.
“That is about World Snooker Tour driving roughshod over our gamers’ contract, which we renegotiated in good religion and signed in good religion.
“They usually’ve simply determined to disregard it and rewrite it as they see match.”
Featured picture credit score: WST
